Ladki Bahin impact: No subsidised festive food kit for Ganeshotsav, says Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal

MUMBAI: State govt will not be able to provide 'Anandacha Shidha' or the subsidised festive food kit for Ganeshotsav due to financial strain caused by the state's flagship Ladki Bahin Yojana, state food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal said on Tuesday.

The scheme provided kits to eligible ration card holders for key festivals in the state for the last two years."The 'Anandacha Shidha' will not be distributed for Ganeshotsav. If it was to be done, then tenders would have been called three months ahead of the festival. Now there is just a month left for Ganeshotsav," Bhujbal said.He said this was the result of the financial strain faced by the govt as a result of the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.

"When there is a scheme which costs Rs 45,000 crore in the year and that amount is deducted from the treasury, then it is bound to impact other schemes," Bhujbal said, referring to the annual expense for the Ladki Bahin scheme.

However, he added, "The state is trying to increase its revenue and slowly it will return to its earlier state. There will be no injustice towards anyone.".The 'Anandacha Shidha' scheme costs the state roughly Rs 350-400 crore annually. It offers essential food items like sugar, edible oil, rava, chana dal and poha at a subsidised price, typically Rs 100 per kit.